Pizza and a Lack of Sympathy
by Mariko Azrael
Summary: [PRTF] Much to Eric's dismay, Katie and Trip decide to bond with him over some pizza. [Katie X Trip undertones, spoilers for 'Trip Takes a Stand']


Disclaimer: Saban and Disney's, not mine. I also don't own the song title mentioned at the end

Notes: Takes place after 'Trip Takes a Stand', spoilers apply

--

When Eric heard the rapping on his door, he figured it was his landlady's son again, trying to squeeze a few extra dollars out of him. So he answered it, knowing that the punk wouldn't leave until he got some sort of response.

"I already paid the rent lest week, ask your mom if you don't..." his voice trailed off in surprise at the sight in front of him. He'd been expecting to see a smug Mama's boy, not the tall girl Wes hung out with (what was her name again? Carly-- no, Katie)... and Trip.

After the surprise wore off, he came back to his senses and slammed the door shut.

"C'mon Eric, let us in, please? We brought pizza! Not even I could finish all of this off by myself!" He pretended not to hear Trip. They'd lose interest in whatever pathetic attempt of a joke they were playing soon enough.

"It's double pepperoni! No one can resist double pepperoni!"

"I can. I don't even like the stuff." Trip was turning out to be a lot more stubborn than he would've ever guessed-- but given recent events, maybe it wasn't too much of a shock.

"We got sausage, too!"

... He was going to regret it, but at least they'd leave him alone once they were done with him. And he didn't have any plans for dinner, anyways.

Eric rolled his eyes as he opened the door again. "Fine, whatever. Just don't make a mess."

--

"So Wes picks it up, thinking it's just a bag of leaves, and then garbage goes flying everywhere," Trip said around a mouthful of double pepperoni. "You should've seen the look on his face!"

Eric felt the corners of his mouth tug a bit. It **did** make for an amusing mental image. "Sounds like something Wes would do."

"Yes, well, at least he was trying to help, unlike some other people I know."

It was the first thing Katie had said since he'd let them in (he'd been a little surprised by how quiet she'd been too, since judging from the few times he'd been around her, she'd struck him as a bit of a loudmouth). He was about to say something back when he noticed Trip was giving her a look that said 'you're not helping', and decided to keep his mouth shut. Even he knew better than to stir up trouble when people were having relationship problems.

In fact, it would probably be better for everyone if he made himself scare. "I'm gonna go wash the dishes."

"I'll help."

"Katie--"

"I wouldn't be a good guest if I didn't help out, would I?" The tone in her voice made it obvious that neither of them had any say in the matter.

Eric handed her a plate.

--

It wasn't until they were almost done with washing that he figured that her head had cooled off enough to talk. "Your boyfriend is insane."

"He's not my boyfriend. And no, he's not." She looked out the window as she wrung the dishrag dry. "You don't think anyone could be brave enough to do what he did, so you're writing it off as insanity."

He decided not to answer that, at least not directly. "You know, I came this close to shooting him."

"I know. And I would have come this close to snapping your neck if you had."

"... Then why play along with him as he tries to make nice with me?"

Katie folded her arms, leaning against the counter. "Because Trip told me about how you saved him from Frax right after you nearly shot him. So now he thinks there's some good to you that you keep buried down deep inside for whatever reason." She shrugged slightly. "**I** think you're a power crazy scumbag and we were doing just fine without you, but...if Trip believes it, I'm willing to at least give you a chance."

He was silent until she was halfway out the kitchen door. "Katie."

She turned around. "What is it?"

"When I first met you, I thought you were just like Wes, carefree and lazy. But now I see that there's a harder, meaner side to you. You keep it secret from Wes and Trip, but it is there."

He grinned at her. "I can respect that."

Katie just shrugged at him again as she left with Trip. Eric watched them out his window as they left. It looked as if they'd made up. Her arm was around him, and she was close enough to kiss him, if she'd felt like it.

"Not your boyfriend. Of course, Katie. Whatever you say."

It was about then when he noticed how quiet the place suddenly was. He reached for an unlabeled cassette tape and put it in the player.

He chose to ignore the symbolism when 'It's Not Easy Being Green' began to play.

--

**Notes:** Yes, Eric thinks Muppets are cool. Only a true monster wouldn't.


End file.
